Dawn Renaud, event co-ordinator, says the Shatford Centre/Okanagan School of the Arts is preparing to host a stimulating weekend for writers and aspiring authors. (Photo supplied)
If writing is in your blood – be it poetry, screenplays, novels or short stories – you might be very interested in attending the first annual Okanagan Valley Writers Festival.
The Shatford Centre/Okanagan School of the Arts is preparing to host a stimulating weekend for writers and aspiring authors, said event co-ordinator Dawn Renaud.
The festival will take place from April 8-10 and will include workshops and panel discussions on various aspects of writing, selling and marketing fiction and non-fiction in a range of genres, plus poetry, songs and screenplays, said Renaud,
“We challenged ourselves with offering something of interest to each writer during each time slot over the course of the weekend,” said Renaud, who adds the organizing committee’s goal is to provide maximum opportunities for writers in a smaller, more engaging format.
“Our event is particularly nice for any writer who may be overwhelmed at a bigger writers’ conference. The Shatford Centre here in Penticton is the perfect venue.”
The weekend will begin with a Friday evening meet-and-greet event at the Shatford Centre, which is located in the same building as the Okanagan School of the Arts in Penticton.
Renaud said she’s thrilled to be part of the committee bringing a writers’ conference back to Penticton.
“About 10 years ago, there was another group that organized some kind of writers’ conference here in Penticton, but there hasn’t been anything like it that I know of since,” she said. “But I do know there is a lot of writing talent in various genres spread across the Okanagan Valley.
“I have contacts with the Shatford Centre, including executive director Jane Shaak, and she thought hosting a writers’ festival would be a fantastic idea. This is a beautiful old historic school building and it has kitchens on site so we can provide all the meals. It’s just a perfect setting for a festival like this.”
Renaud believes there will be strong support for this festival and sees no reason why it can’t become an annual event.
The 2016 lineup includes a variety of publishers, agents, writers and instructors, said Renaud.
They include names well-known in the literary community such as Brian Hades, Cheryl Kaye Tardif, Daniela Elza, Denise Jaden, Grant Lawrence, Jodie Renner, Kat Montagu, Laurie Carter, Lorna Schultz-Nicolson, Robert Mackwood, Roberta Rich and Will Schlackl.
The meet-and-greet on Friday is opening to the public and CBC personality Grant Lawrence will host the evening and share the spotlight with several writers who will read from their published works, she said.
The main part of the conference runs from Saturday breakfast through Sunday brunch. All meals will be included for participants.
Some presenters will be offering one-on-one sessions throughout the weekend, said Renaud.
For those who plan on travelling to the conference and staying in Penticton, accommodation deals featuring reduced rates will be offered by the Days Inn Hotel and Penticton Lakeside Resort, she said.
The festival will be limited to the first 140 people who sign up, she said.
Being able to participate in a writers’ festival small in size is going to appeal to a lot of people, said Renaud.
She expects most of the participants will come from across the Okanagan Valley, but also expects several from the Lower Mainland and other parts of B.C. as well as from Washington State.
The price of registration is $250. Members of the Okanagan School of the Arts will get a reduced rate. More details about the conference are now available at www.okanaganvalleywritersfestival.com. Registration is available by contacting the Shatford Centre/Okanagan School of the Arts.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
